(1) U.S. attacks Venezuela and captures President
The U.S. carried out strikes in Venezuela’s capital city Caracas and other places in the country on Saturday last week (January 3, 2026) in the latest escalation to simmering tensions between the two countries since September last year. Following the strikes, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social the ‘capture’ of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
Trump’s issues with Venezuela are along two key things – trafficking drugs into the U.S. with the involvement of Venezuelan officials and evading sanctions on oil. Since September, Trump has authorised air strikes on several boats and ships in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean for allegedly ferrying illicit drugs. His government also sanctioned several companies operating ‘shadow fleets’ of ships to transport sanctioned Venezuelan oil into U.S. jurisdiction by morphing origin information.
Here is a timeline showing how the events unfolded.
Besides drug-trafficking, the U.S. found issue with the manner in which Maduro was elected in 2018 and again in 2024 in widely contested elections. Maduro’s unpopularity amongst Venezuelans for poor governance, severe inflation and corruption had some citizens celebrating his capture. While countries like Russia and China have been more supportive of Maduro’s presidency, the U.S. has imposed sanctions on him and his family members.
(2) Train accident
One passenger died in a fire, which broke out in two AC coaches of train no. 18189 Tata-Ernakulam Express at Elamanchili railway station under Vijayawada Division of South Central Railway, in the early hours of Monday (December 29, 2025). The other passengers had a miraculous escape.
The train was going from Tatanagar to Ernakulam. It was around 12:45 a.m., when the train was nearing Yelamanchili railway station, a passenger noticed fire in one of the AC coaches and pulled the chain and the train stopped at Yelamanchili. He alerted the other passengers and they rushed out to safety, according to sources.
A total of 82 passengers were travelling in one of the coaches while 76 were travelling in the other. Both the coaches, B1 and M2 were fully gutted in the fire. The victim was identified as Chandrasekhar Sunder (75) of Vijayawada, who was travelling in the B1 coach. All the other passengers are safe, according to railway sources.
The two affected coaches were separated from the train and two other coaches were attached in their place.
(3) Supreme Court stays suspension of Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s sentence in Unnao rape case
The Supreme Court on Monday (December 29, 2025) stayed the Delhi High Court order suspending life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case.
The Bench, comprising of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George, also said that there is ambiguity on the definition of ‘public servant’ under the POCSO. The court issued a notice. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, argued that Sengar was in a position of dominance and found guilty under POCSO and of killing the victim’s father.
The court noted that Sengar has sought bail in the custodial death case, and the court concerned has already reserved the case to pass orders – indicating that, if granted bail, he would be released from custody. The entire timeline of the 2017 Unnao rape case is detailed in the graphic below.
(4) Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia dies
Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia who had held the office for three terms died on Tuesday last week (December 30, 2025) after years of ill health, aged 80. Since 1990, Khaleda Zia and the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina occupied the prime minister’s office in the country, defining an era and a ‘battle of begums’. In 1991, she became the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Here is a timeline showing Ms. Zia’s political legacy over the years, through arrests, highs and lows.
She was set to contest in the first election in the country for her Bangladesh National Party after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina last year following widespread protests. The country observed a national holiday on Wednesday last week (December 31, 2025).
(5) News events that defined 2025: a timeline
As 2025 drew to a close on Thursday last week (December 31, 2025), here is a look at top news stories for each month.
The Pahalgam terror attack leaving 26 dead and Operation Sindoor following it were significant events in May. U.S. President Donald Trump’s election in January put trade, tariffs and India-U.S. relations in the fore. Elections in India, accidents, stampedes, natural disasters and sporting wins marked the rest of the year.
Towards the end of the year, cyclone Montha flooded swathes of Sri Lanka and brought widespread rainfall to India’s coast. Several IndiGo flight cancellations and delays broke commercial flying, prompting the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to step in. The controversial Special Intensive Revision process kicked off in States, with numerous deletions in the revised rolls and calls for more transparency.
Published – January 05, 2026 03:57 pm IST